Knowledge Base

How to Restore the Operating System on the Dell Chromebook

To completely restore your operating system and return the device to like-new condition:

Click on the system tray at the lower right corner of the desktop.

Click Settings.

Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click Show advanced settings.

Scroll down the page and click Powerwash.

When you see the warning window pop up, click Restart to continue or Cancel if you wish to stop the process.

After several seconds, you will get a final warning screen describing the Powerwash process in more detail. The screen will explain that all files and media stored locally on the computer will be replaced. You may Cancel the process or complete it by clicking Reset.

The process takes several seconds and you will be advised that the Powerwash is in progress. When it is complete, you will begin the initial start-up process exactly as if the device was new.

When you are seeing the message Chrome OS missing or damaged you will need to create a recovery flash drive or SD card on an available Windows computer.

After you recover your Chromebook, you must format your USB flash drive or SD card using the Recovery Tool. If you don't format your USB flash drive or SD card, you won’t be able to use all the storage space on your external device. Additionally, your USB flash drive or SD card may not be recognizable by Windows.See instructions for reformatting your USB flash drive or SD card.

Start your Chromebook.

When the "Chrome OS is missing or damaged" message appears, insert the USB flash drive or SD card you created into the USB port or SD card slot on your Chrome device.

Wait for the Chromebook to boot up from the flash drive.

Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.

On successful installation of the Chrome operating system, you will be prompted to remove the USB flash drive or SD card.

Remove the USB flash drive or SD card when prompted and your Chromebook will automatically restart.

You should now be able to start your Chromebook as normal. Because the data stored on your Chromebook has been cleared, you'll need to go through the initial setup again. Make sure you sign in with your primary Google Account, because this account will be set as the owner account.

For more information on how to recover your Chromebook, refer to Chromebook Knowledge base article,Recover your Chromebook.